Hi all
Does the Naim DAC require servicing? If so which components and how often?
Rgds
Most found that servicing the Naim dac is beneficial, despite some contradictory advices.
After 12/15 years.
Band 7 (digital) servicing isnāt cheap, costing almost as much as a mint condition early nDAC can be bought for.
I think mine is around 12yrs now
Do I need to prepare for a new DAC
How much we talking. Anyone out there had a ndac serviced recently
You can google ānaim service prices 2022ā, first hit. Band 7.
Cheaper than any new āhigh endā DAC. Weāre hoping ours lasts the next 10 years to be honest, itās so good with the 555.
Streaming transport might change in time, hi res (24/96kHz, 24/192kHz) might take over from 16/44.1 but the nDAC will cope with all that and we just need to feed it with anything with a digital output. We made a strategic decision to split streamer and DAC, but in the end we prefer the sound of nDAC/555 to the NDX2/555 for DAC duties anyway so itās win win. Only foible here is Sky Q sounds better into NDX2->nDAC rather than direct into nDAC. Go figure.
I suppose all streaming transports might move to USB only, but at the moment there are plenty of brands releasing transports with RCA or BNC digital outputs.
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I see the Band 7 pricing at 599 pounds for service. What does this cover? Is this to replace all old caps? Also I am confused on pricing as it just has Olive series lumped together at one price and a Supercap must cost more than a HiCap to service? Thx in advance for any insight.
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Shhhhā¦ else Iāll start dreaming of upgrading my XPS-Drā¦
I love my nDAC and I also hope I never have problems with it. My dealer advised me āif it aināt brokeā¦ā
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The nDAC likes a good quality digital feed. The NDX2 may be ātidying upā the jitter. 
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so me going HDX ND5xs2 to ndac would be a upgrade (maybe quite a large difference) over my current HDX dig out to ndac+xps??
Would a bluesound node be a good quality feed into nDac? I wonder if spending on a xps dr should be the first priority rather than spending on a naim streamer
Iāve not tried that option but a Roon Bridge Pi HAT (JustBoom Digi) was spookily good, considering the low cost of the Digi HAT, on some tracks in comparison to my ND5XS (transport only), on others however it was much worse so much so my missus thought it was a different track playing. I had to explain that it was identical.
Thereās clearly more to SPDIF than expected and Naim seem to know what they are doingš
I would not buy blind, without testing, personally in that case.
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If itās still working properly, then no.
Iāve had 30+ year old DACs that still work perfectly.
Of course, if you just trying to justify an uograde in your own mind, then thatās a different matter and certainly understandableš
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When I tried BS Node into nDAC it sounded awful to me.
Sterile and nothingy.
If you can feed the nDAC with an ND5XS2 and also put an XPS on it (not necessarily DR) you will have something delightful.
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Thanks JimDog. I remember that you once tried a dcs network bridge, but you werenā t satisfied with it. Why was that?
Hi Robert
There is an old thread on it if you want to know the gory detail.
I have tried at home a dCS NB, a dCS dac, Chord dacs, an Auralic streamer, and a BS Node.
But in my experience there is magic in using a Naim digital source in an all-Naim system.
James
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Thanks again James. I think you point me in the right direction. I am already looking out for a for pre loved streamer and/or a power supply. Letās also see what new products Naim will be offering shortly (?).
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About a month after buying my nDAC I contacted the dealer I bought it from about having it serviced. They got back to me saying theyād spoken to someone thatās been at Naim decades and who said that unless there was something wrong with it, it would be fine. Found it surprising but refreshing that they just didnāt take my money! The DAC had been back to Naim in 2018 for a new logo and check over and I have the paperwork saying itās all ok, so I guess it is
A slightly related question ā¦ if the nDAC was in production until 2018 why do I never see any newer models than 2010 to 2012 on the pre-loved market?!
Mark
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People donāt want to sell them.
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Although still in production my dealer had stopped stocking them as people had stopped buying?
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